Highland Park Gets New Deputy City Manager

Buffalo Grove’s deputy village manager resigned this week after 13 years with the village to accept a similar position in Highland Park.

said her move is a “wonderful opportunity” to work in what she described as “a progressive municipality.”

“I think the hardest part about it is leaving friends and people who I respect so much,” she said.

Highland Park City Manager David Knapp told the Daily Herald he was looking forward to Neukirch joining the city's staff.

“She has a great resume and great experience there in Buffalo Grove," Knapp said. "She is a good match for the kinds of things we’re looking to have done here. She comes across very well and was highly recommended.”

Neukirch was hired by Buffalo Grove in 1999 as an assistant to the village manager. She was promoted to deputy village manager in 2006.

In that capacity, she has overseen economic development, negotiating more than a dozen incentive agreements and working on residential developments and shopping center redevelopments. Most recently, she coordinated the with six other municipalities. The program, which was approved by referendum in all seven towns, resulted in lower electricity supply charges for participants.

She also as Buffalo Grove's village manager in 2010, filling the gap between the departure of Bill Brimm and the .

The first village staff liaison to the village’s Arts Commission, she oversaw programs such as theInvitational Fine Art Festival, , the and Limelight Cafe, which provided performance opportunities for youths and adults.

She praised Buffalo Grove’s committed volunteers who make such programs possible.

“Buffalo Grove has over 150 volunteers who are really hardworking and just committed to the village,” she said.

“It’s been such a great opportunity to work with so many residents and businesses ... and advance the community in that regard,” she said.

“We have an extremely lean organization. Everyone works so hard,” she added, describing Buffalo Grove’s professional staff as “efficient and cost effective.”

Neukirch will spend her last day at work opening and staffing the Invitational Fine Art Festival on July 21. Another village employee will oversee the second day of the festival, she said.

She will assume her duties as Highland Park's deputy city manager on Aug. 1. As they did in Buffalo Grove, her responsibilities will include project management and overseeing communications and economic development. New duties will include working with youth and senior service departments and the clerk’s office, she said.

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